Page 136 of Pucking Around

“Because your mother never gave me a chance—”

Ilmari cuts Halla off with a string of vehement sentences spat in Finnish that I can only assume are colorful curses designed to let Doctor Halla know exactly where he can go. And then Halla is replying, his tone more measured, like he’s refusing to rise to Ilmari’s obvious bating.

Sensing the rising tension, I step between them. “Okay—” I lift a hand up in each of their directions. “I forgot my universal translator back on theEnterprise, so I’m gonna need you both to switch to English, okay? I’m sure we can figure this out—”

“No. I’m done,” says Ilmari. “This is done.”

“Son, don’t be a fool. You need these scans,” Doctor Halla replies. “Let me help you—”

“I don’t want your help,” Ilmari snaps. “I don’t want anything from you.”

And that’s when the truth I’ve been missing up to this point hits me on the head like an anvil. This isn’t some wacky coincidence. Doctor Halla knew what he was doing. From the moment I said Ilmari’s name on the phone, he knew I was talking about his son. He wanted me to bring him here. He used me to get to Ilmari.

And one look at Ilmari tells me how much this has hurt him. He has no relationship with this man, and I have to assume that’s on purpose. I trust Ilmari. I trust his reasons. My protective instincts flare.

Ilmari snatches the bags up off the floor and turns away like he means to leave.

“Ilmari, wait,” I call after him.

“Price, this wasn’t our agreement,” Doctor Halla’s cheeks are reddening with embarrassment as Joanne, the nurse at the front desk, watches all of this unfold. “You said you could get him here. You said he would see me.”

My mind is spinning. “I—”

Ilmari turns slowly back around, and now he’s staring daggers at me. “You said what?” He takes a half-step towards me. “You did this on purpose? You brought me to him?”

“Well, yes—but only tohelpyou—”

“Did you know?” he says, looking at me like I’m a hydra with ten heads. “Did he tell you?”

“What?” I cry. “Mars—Jeezus—does this look like the face of a person in the know?” I say, gesturing to what I hope is a look of utter shock on my stupid, surprised face.

“You said you would get him here,” Halla challenges. “You promised me a dinner with my son.”

I see Ilmari’s face fall and then he’s turning away.

“What the—oh, come on, Mars—wait!” I call after him. “Mars—”

“Price, get him back here,” Doctor Halla barks at me. Then he shouts something in Finnish at Ilmari.

Ilmari snaps something back as he shoves his shoulder against the glass front door and leaves. Meanwhile, I’m halfway between Doctor Halla and the door, my senses spinning, heart racing.

I spin around, angry tears stinging my eyes. “Are you fucking serious right now? What thehellwere you thinking? This is so unethical in like a hundred different ways!”

“Price—”

“Oh, don’tPriceme,” I snap. “Youknewwhat you were doing. You played me, asshole. I called you because that man is terrified,” I cry, pointing towards the front door. “He’s alone, and he’s scared, and he trusted me to help him. And I trustedyou. And you just shit all over that trust!”

“Careful, Price,” Halla growls. Clearly, he dislikes being reprimanded by a resident in his own clinic. But I don’t fucking care. I spin away from him, slinging my purse back onto my shoulder. “Price, where are you going?”

“I have to go after him! I have to find him and apologize and try to mend the damage from the emotional grenade you just lobbed at us!”

“Talk him down,” he pleads, following me to the door. “Reason with him. He needs to do these scans. I can help, Price—”

I huff, shrugging away from him. “You really think I’ll get him back in here now? Have you met Ilmari Kinnunen? There’s no making that man do anything he doesn’t want to do.”

“He’ll do it for you,” he calls at my back as I push on the door. “It’s clear he cares about you, Price. Use that.”

I spin around again. “Don’t you fucking dare,” I growl at him. “You’re a sports injury specialist, not a goddamn couple’s therapist. Stayoutof our business.”